Hawaii’s desserts and sweet treats are a vibrant reflection of the islands’ multicultural heritage and abundance of tropical ingredients that grow easily throughout the Hawaiian Islands. From coconut flavored pudding to cold and colorful shave ice, if you have a sweet tooth, you will enjoy this list
Sampling these desserts in Hawaii is always the preferred option (a Hawaiian vacation is truly magical), but if your next trip isn’t planned for a year or two, we encourage you to try some of these Hawaiian desserts at home or your next luau themed party!
1. Haupia
Haupia is a traditional Hawaiian dessert made from coconut milk, sugar, and a thickening agent like cornstarch, resulting in a smooth, creamy pudding that is often served chilled in squares at luaus and special occasions. Think coconut Jello!
Simple Recipe: Whisk together 5 tablespoons of cornstarch, 5 tablespoons of sugar, and 3/4 cup water until smooth. Heat one 14-ounce can of full-fat coconut milk in a saucepan over medium heat until it just starts to simmer. Slowly whisk in the cornstarch mixture, and continue stirring constantly until the mixture thickens and looks slightly translucent, about 10 minutes. Pour the thickened pudding into an 8x8-inch pan, let it cool to room temperature, then refrigerate until fully set (about 2 hours). Cut into squares and serve cold for a classic Hawaiian treat.
2. Shave Ice
Hawaiian shave ice (not a snow cone) is a popular island dessert made by shaving a block of ice into a soft, fluffy mound and drizzling it with colorful, fruit-flavored syrups—often featuring local flavors like guava, lilikoi (passion fruit), and pineapple—with optional toppings such as sweetened condensed milk, mochi balls, or a scoop of ice cream underneath.
Simple Recipe: First off, you will have to purchase a shave ice machine. Simple machines can cost around $30, while professional industry-preferred machines can cost over $2,000. Next, simply freeze water into an ice block and load it into your machine. Shave the ice into a bowl and flavor with store-bought or homemade syrups using some of your favorite tropical fruits. Get creative with your additional toppings, such as gummi bears, ice cream, li hing mui powder, and more.
3. Halo-Halo
Halo-halo is a popular Filipino dessert that combines shaved ice, sweetened fruits, jellies, beans, and leche flan, all topped with a scoop of ube (purple yam) ice cream for a colorful and refreshing treat. It is like eating a rainbow in a glass. Because of the large Filipino population throughout Hawaii, this colorful dessert has grown in popularity on a hot summer day in Hawaii.
Simple Recipe: Now that you have a shave ice machine for the above recipe, you can put it to use to create some epic halo-halo. First, make three different trays of Jello in an assortment of colors and flavors of your liking. Cut the Jello into half inch squares. In a tall glass add a spoonful each or sweetened red beans, Jello squares, pineapple chunks, and other tropical fruits. Next fill the glass with shaved ice. Pour ¼ cup of evaporated milk over the ice. Stir everything together in the glass to mix up the colors. Top with a scoop of ube ice cream and a slice or two of flan.
4. Hula Pie
Hula pie is a decadent and iconic Hawaiian dessert featuring a chocolate cookie crust, creamy macadamia nut ice cream, and a generous topping of hot fudge, whipped cream, and chopped nuts. There are a few legendary restaurants in Hawaii that have their own interpretation of the Hula pie on their dessert menu, that is a favorite with repeat visitors year after year.
Simple recipe: Let 1.5 quarts of vanilla ice cream (or coconut ice cream) soften at room temperature for about 10-15 minutes, until it’s easy to stir but not melted. Stir one cup of chopped macadamia nuts into the ice cream. Pile the ice cream mixture into an pie pan lined with Oreo crust. Freeze for at least one hour. Spread hot fudge sauce over the top of the frozen pie and sprinkle with more macadamia nuts. Let freeze overnight. Before serving, let the pie sit at room temperature about 10 minutes and top with whip cream.
5. Malasadas
Malasadas are light, fluffy, yeast-leavened doughnuts originally brought to Hawaii by Portuguese immigrants, characterized by their rich, eggy dough, deep-fried to a golden brown, rolled in sugar, and often filled with tropical fruit-flavored custards or creams. Usually enjoyed as a breakfast treat, these Hawaiian-style doughnuts are best when they are still warm!
Simple recipe: In a small bowl combine one tablespoon of active dry yeast, one teaspoon sugar, and warm water. Let sit until foamy, about 10 minutes. In a larger bowl beat three eggs until light and fluffy. Add ½ cup milk, ½ cup evaporated milk, ½ cups sugar, two tablespoons of melted butter, and ¼ teaspoon salt. Add the yeast mixture to the wet ingredients. Gradually add four cups of bread flour, mixing until a smooth dough forms. The dough should be soft and slightly sticky. Cover the bowl with a towel and let the dough rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about one hour.
Punch down the dough and turn it out onto a floured surface. Roll to about ¾ inch thick and cut into squares. Roll the squares into a ball and let dough rise for another 30 minutes. Heat oil in a deep pot to 350 degrees. Fry malasadas in batches until golden brown on both sides, about 2-3 minutes per side. Drain on paper towels and roll the warm malasadas in sugar.
6. Li Hing Mui Gummies
Li hing mui powder is a sweet, salty, and tangy seasoning made from ground pickled plums mixed with ingredients like licorice, sugar, salt, and food coloring, and is especially popular in Hawaii for sprinkling on fresh fruit, shave ice, popcorn, candy, and even cocktails. Head into any candy isle at Foodland, Safeway, or Longs Drugs in the Hawaiian Islands and you will find a whole section of li hing mui flavored candy.
Simple recipe: This one is easy! Simply buy a packet of li hing mui powder online or any grocery store in Hawaii. Purchase your favorite gummy snack (gummy bears, gummy worms, sour rope, sour rings, etc.) and toss them with the li hing mui powder. You may want to coat your gummy treats with lemon juice first to help the powder stick to the candy.
7. Banana Bread
Banana bread is a moist, sweet loaf made from mashed ripe bananas and simple ingredients like flour, sugar, eggs, and butter, often enjoyed as a comforting treat or breakfast. Because bananas grow year-round in Hawaii, often times in the wild and even in resident’s yards, banana bread is a fun and easy way to take advantage of excess bananas.
Simple recipe: Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Grease a loaf pan. In one bowl combine 1.5 cups of flour, one teaspoon of baking soda, and one teaspoon of salt. In another bowl mix three ripe mashed bananas, one cup of sugar, one egg, and four tablespoons of melted butter. Stir the dry ingredients into the wet mixture until just combined. Pour the batter in the loaf pan. Bake for 60-65 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool before slicing and serving.
8. Dole Whip
Dole Whip is a popular dairy-free, pineapple-flavored soft-serve dessert created by Dole Food Company, known for its sweet, creamy texture and tropical flavor. It has grown in popularity in Hawaii in the last few years with more and more shave ice stands opting to include Dole Whip as an available dessert option.
Simple recipe: You may want to first check the ice cream isle of your local grocery store. You might get lucky and score a carton of Dole Whip to take home with you. Otherwise, why not make the authentic Dole Whip recipe that is posted on the company website! Click this link to read through the ingredient list and official recipe. Can you believe it only takes ten minutes to make?!
9. Mac Nut Cookies
Macadamia nut cookies are known for their soft, chewy texture and rich flavor, featuring crunchy macadamia nuts often paired with creamy white chocolate, making them a favorite treat for nut lovers and those craving a sweet, satisfying dessert. For a real treat, try making an ice cream sandwich featuring vanilla or chocolate ice cream between two warm mac nut cookies. Finish off the dessert sandwich by rolling the ice cream in chopped macadamia nuts!
Simple recipe: Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a medium bowl, beat together six tablespoons of softened butter, ½ cup of brown sugar, and ¼ cup of granulated sugar until light and fluffy. Add one egg and one teaspoon of vanilla extract, mixing until combined. Sprinkle in one cup of flour, ¼ teaspoon baking soda, and ½ teaspoon salt. Stir in ½ cup chopped macadamia nuts and ½ cup of white chocolate chips.
Divide the dough into 12 equal portions and place them on the baking sheet. Bake for 9-11 minutes, until the edges are light gold brown and the tops start to crack. Let cool before serving.
10. Mochi
Mochi is a soft, sweet, gelatin-like dessert made from a glutinous rice introduced to the Hawaiian Islands by Japanese plantation workers in the mid-1800s, and it has become a beloved menu item at local celebrations and holiday festivities. Mochi has been incorporated into many different tasty desserts in Hawaii such as mochi ice cream, mochi cakes, and mochi brownies.
Simple recipe: In a microwave-safe bowl, combine ¾ cup of glutinous rice flour and three tablespoons of granulated sugar. Mix well. Gradually pour in 2/3 cups of milk while stirring until the mixture is smooth and free of lumps. Cover the bowl with microwave-safe plastic wrap. Microwave on high for 1 minute. Carefully remove and stir the mixture. Microwave for another 1 minute. The mixture should now be thick and sticky. Let the mochi cool slightly. With oiled or gloved hands, knead the mochi until smooth and stretchy. Let the mochi cool slightly. With oiled or gloved hands, knead the mochi until smooth and stretchy. Serve immediately or store in an airtight container for later.
You can also fill the mochi with sweet fillings like red bean paste, peanut butter, or ice cream if you wish. Enjoy your simple homemade Hawaiian mochi!